Hello
by babe inc
Summary: Carlos and Stephanie meet for the first time. Just a fun, sappy, romantic story based on the song 'The First and Only Time' AU of Course


A/N: Not ours. Recognizable characters belong to JE. We are just taking them out to play. We want Ranger/Carlos

Video and song can be found on YouTube.

Just a fun, sappy, romantic story based on the song '_The First and Only Time'_

_Sung by Johnny Mathis & Jane Olivor_

Possible tissue warning issued. You have been warned. Last and foremost, ENJOY!

Margaret and Deanna

Hello

Stephanie was soaked when she raced into the deli. Her hair was plastered to her head, clothes dripping wet. She never noticed one mans attention on her.

That is, until she came out of the bathroom, with dry clothes on _(who knew college backpacks came in handy)_, then she felt eyes of the customers on her small frame.

Well, one person in particular. And he was sitting where she was stationed to work. Picking up her order pad and pen from Barb, her supervisor. She headed over to the man that was oozing in perfection.

Seeing her as she ran into the deli, for the first time. He wasn't able to take his eyes off her; he felt his heart beat faster, like a runaway train slamming into him. Blue eyes he could get lost in, which he did. He never heard her ask _'can I get you something?'_ She seemed to be as transfixed as he was.

Slowly, his eyes went back to the menu in front of him. He was just taking refuge on a stormy night, looking for a cup of coffee on his way to nowhere really. He just finished his first semester of college. He was transferring to the one nearby; he didn't care about getting to his new apartment, off campus just yet after all.

'_I'll give you a few minutes, how's that?' _Stephanie asked him. She took his nod as a yes and went back to fix herself a glass of ice water. That man was so much male perfection that she needed to balance herself and take a deep breathe.

When she looked up, holding a glass of water in front of her face, she noticed him doing the same, but this time, he raised his as a toast. Albeit, a silent one to her.

She blushed and looked down. Then back at up him, raising hers to him as a salute as well. They both smiled across the deli, not hearing the hustle and bustle going on around them.

Stephanie came back and took his order when he closed the menu. She gave him a dazzling smile when she did, leading him to hold his hand out and softly saying,

'_Hello, my name is Carlos; and you are…?"_

_**Hello, I don't even know your name, but I'm hopin' all the same**_

_**This is more than just a simple hello.**_

_**Hello, do I smile and look away? No, I think I'll smile and stay**_

_**To see where this might go. **_

'_Stephanie', _Carlos heard, her voice a melody created just for him, it seemed. She got back to work; laughing and joking with her customers. Always being aware of Carlos' eyes on her.

She was entranced with him just as Carlos was smitten by her.

_**'Cause the last time I felt like this, I was falling in love,**_

_**Falling and feeling, I'd never fall in love again.**_

Neither had been in love, not really. Infatuations is all, Stephanie was looking for true love. Carlos wasn't happy with finding out the image never measured up to what he needed in his life.

_**Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew**_

_**What I'm feeling now with you.**_

_**Hello, I can't wait till we're alone, somewhere quiet on our own**_

_**So that we can fall the rest of the way.**_

Neither one had known about the other, but in that one moment all that had changed, just in the meeting of the eyes and smiles across the room. Both wanted to be alone with each other.

Slowly the deli where Stephanie worked was empty. Except for Carlos and Stephanie, who were sitting down over coffee in his booth, talking on and on into the night.

Neither wanted it to end, it seemed like a fairy tale to them. Finding each other this way, Stephanie was late to work, because of the rain. She was paying her own way into college.

Carlos was tired of driving in the rain, so he stopped to get something to eat. He was attending the same college, they found out. School was resuming after the break and he was making it in time for second semester.

Both laughed that their classes overlapped here and there on campus, they would have met, only later on in their lives.

_**I know that before the night is thru, I'll be talking love to you,**_

_**Meaning every word I say.**_

Taking their time, exchanging phone numbers and emails, each hoping the other wanted this to work out, who knew it would happen like this?

_**'Cause the last time I felt like this I was falling in love,**_

_**Falling and feeling, I'd never fall in love again.**_

_**Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew**_

_**What I'm feeling now with you.**_

Carlos and Stephanie indeed found in each other, best friends and lovers, falling in love one rainy night, as if it was meant to be.

_6 months later:_

Carlos had taken Stephanie out to dinner at their _'Deli.' _He had bought a ring, with money he had earned, working for the local Security Co. He planned this proposal for the last month.

He was still finding it hard to believe, that he had met the woman of his dreams that night. He had talked to Barb, her supervisor. To see if they could close early. He wanted it to be just like the night they met. She had agreed.

Over a cup of coffee and piece of cake, he had ordered for Stephanie, he got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife.

She of course said 'YES!'

Every year for their anniversary, they would make sure to go to that Deli and reminisce, about their first meeting.

And fell in-love with each other, all over again.

_Song: The First and Only Time_

_Sung by Johnny Mathis & Jane Olivor_

_Words by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman_

_Music by Marvin Hamlisch_

_The Movie "Same Time, Next Year"_

_Tags: Johnny Mathis Jane Olivor Same Time Next Year_

_License: Standard YouTube License_

_Song found on YouTube_

_**The First and Only Time:**_

_Hello, I don't even know your name, but I'm hopin' all the same_

_This is more than just a simple hello._

_Hello, do I smile and look away? No, I think I'll smile and stay_

_To see where this might go._

_'Cause the last time I felt like this, I was falling in love,_

_Falling and feeling, I'd never fall in love again._

_Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew_

_What I'm feeling now with you._

_Hello, I can't wait till we're alone, somewhere quiet on our own_

_So that we can fall the rest of the way._

_I know that before the night is thru, I'll be talking love to you,_

_Meaning every word I say._

_'Cause the last time I felt like this I was falling in love,_

_Falling and feeling, I'd never fall in love again._

_Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew_

_What I'm feeling now with you._


End file.
